Many whys and hows for Ottawa Redblacks after loss to Calgary Stampeders

After a loss in Game 2 of their Canadian Football League season, there will be questions for the Ottawa Redblacks.

Most of those questions will focus on an offence that was at its worst on almost every play the ball wasn’t in running back William Powell’s hands.

Fans will ask what was wrong with quarterback Trevor Harris, who seemed off during Thursday’s 24-14 loss to the Calgary Stampeders. They will also ask why an elite running back who was so good in the first half — seven carries for 87 yards — was used so infrequently in the second half — Powell wound up with 13 carries for 123 yards — when those around him sputtered.

Good questions. So far there are no answers.

Here’s another one, too: What will the Redblacks do without veteran linebacker Kyries Hebert when they face the Alouettes in Montreal next Friday night?

Hebert was suspended for one game by CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie on Friday night because of a hit with his helmet on Stampeders receiver DaVaris Daniels.

The suspension was announced following a telephone hearing on Friday involving Ambrosie, Hebert and a representative of the Canadian Football League Players’ Association.

As for Harris, it certainly looked as if something was wrong with the Redblacks QB, who fought off ankle and knee injuries to return to the lineup for the start of the regular season, then got whacked by a helmet and needed stitches in his right elbow during last week’s home victory against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

On Thursday night, Harris overthrew receivers, underthrew them, threw behind them, threw too far in front of them. Maybe it was timing, maybe it was a very good Stampeders defence or maybe it was just an off game for Harris, who completed 13 of 29 passes for 135 yards, including 56 yards of a single completion to Greg Ellingson. Harris was replaced late in the game by Dominique Davis, who completed five of seven attempts for 41 yards and a touchdown, and one of the incompletions was a potential touchdown pass that Diontae Spencer should have caught.

Asked if there was anything wrong, if there had been an injury problem, Harris said: “I’m fine. I’m trying to work on not being such a hard critic of myself, but I’m always thinking I need to be better. It was a tough night, but it doesn’t mean you reinvent the wheel. We had a tip-pick (interception) in our own end, which was was a big game-changer. We weren’t moving the ball and, when we finally did, we got down in the red zone and stalled at the one (when the Stamps stuffed Davis on a third-down gamble). There are always things you want back, but you have to credit Calgary’s defence. They were able to generate pressure with four (pass rushers), they were in good coverage, and they cut off lanes for us to step up in the pocket.

“They were able to take away primaries (receivers). When you do that and get a bit of pressure, it disrupts timing. I really believe in the guys we have in the offensive huddle, I believe in who we are and what we do. We’ll make adjustments and be better. That’ll be our least productive night. It’s one of those things where, no matter what the result, is you have to press forward. Every game is winnable. In pro football, it always comes down to one play here, one play there.”

Asked what happened, head coach Rick Campbell said the Redblacks “just didn’t ever seem to get into a groove. It was a messy game where it was a grind all the way into the fourth quarter. It feels bad when you lose. I told them that you should feel bad; it means you care. Whether you win or lose, you’d better learn and try to get better. That’s the key to being a good football team. The thing I like about our football team, in general, is we have a lot of fight and spirit. It was there for the taking in the fourth quarter. They made more plays than what we did is what it came down to. It sucks when you don’t get it done. At the same time you learn the sun rises (the next day).”

“The defence played well all night. That’s what we need them to do moving forward,” Rogers said. “Offensively, we have to do our part. We didn’t do that. We have to get back to work and be better. We have to move on. You have to be critical of yourself and make the adjustments you can make. We’re going to evaluate the film, flush this game and it’s on to next week.”

Before Friday’s suspension was announced, Hebert said football was a team game, with offence, defence and special teams all needed to succeed.

“We have to finish games,” Hebert said. “It’s not a three-quarter game. We have to play four quarters. We played against a good team. This is a test of our character. It’s not often you win every game in the CFL. When was the last time you saw a team finish 18-0?”

Stampeders running back Don Jackson can’t pull in a pass while being harassed by the Redblacks’ Kevin Brown. Gavin Young/PostmediaGavin Young /
Postmedia

In truth, that hasn’t ever happened.

Because of injuries, the Redblacks’ defensive depth was put to a big test. Defensive backs Antoine Pruneau and Jonathan Rose left the game, but returned. Defensive linemen Avery Ellis, Jonathan Newsome and A.C. Leonard also left the game. It didn’t look good, especially for Leonard, but the Redblacks could catch a break.

“We definitely got thin in the fourth quarter,” Campbell said. “The bad news is those guys didn’t come back and play. The good news is there’s no definite injury from what I’ve been told. Hopefully they’re back sooner rather than later.”

The Redblacks will be in Montreal to play the Alouettes next Friday.

“Hopefully we can get guys healthy and be ready for Montreal,” Hebert said. “We believe in one another. We believe we have the right people in the room. Even when guys went down (with injuries), we had guys ready to step up.”

This could easily be an F except for the continued brilliance of running back William Powell, who turned 13 carries into 123 yards, many on his own. Puzzling was why he didn’t get the ball more on a night when quarterback Trevor Harris (13-for-29 for 135 yards passing) didn’t have it. It wasn’t a golden moment for Redblacks receivers or offensive line, either. Calgary’s defence, playing without a couple of injured starters, deserved credit, too, as that unit has shut down Hamilton, Toronto and Ottawa to start the season.

Defence A-

Tough to not give love to this unit. With its depth put to the test — Andrew Marshall and Nigel Romick, who rarely see defensive snaps, got significant time and played well — because of injuries to Avery Ellis, Jonathan Newsome and A.C. Leonard. The defence gave Stampeders quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell (19-for-35, 251 yards) all kinds of headaches.

Special Teams B+

Nothing spectacular here, but another solid effort. Lewis Ward made both of his field-goal attempts. Punter Richie Leone was very good, averaging 51.5 yards (38.9 net) and smartly angling a couple of them out of bounds deep in Stampeders territory. As usual, the Redblacks cover units were solid.

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